Band's fans got what they came for

By Jeff Albertson
Special to The Seattle Times

	Sleater-Kinney members Janet Weiss, Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker drew fans from as far away as London.
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Sleater-Kinney just might be the perfect antithesis of rock stardom.

So when Time magazine called the fairly unassuming trio "America's Best Rock Band," it must have left many not so clued-in to the underground- and independent-music scene scratching their heads.

How was this all-female rock trio from Portland the best band in America without any help from commercial radio and largely unheard of by the MTV audience?

The band, named after a road that runs through I-5 near Olympia, built a legion of dedicated fans by adhering to the do-it-yourself ethic and positive feminist ideals born from the riot grrl movement of the late '90s.

Oh yeah. And they flat out rock.

Concert review SLEATER-KINNEY, Saturday night, Showbox.

Which is exactly what they did for an adoring and attentive crowd at the Showbox on Saturday night.

Led by lead singer/guitarist Corin Tucker with her signature high-pitched rock wail, the group tore through its high-energy set, relying on songs from its four full-length albums on Olympia's Kill Rock Stars label including 1997's "Dig Me Out," 1999's "The Hot Rock," 2000's "All Hands on the Bad One" and 2002's "One Beat."

The 21-song set, which was perfectly paced by drummer Janet Weiss pounding out heavy and precise rhythms, was nearly non-stop from the start and had the audience energized and responsive throughout.

Those near the stage were dancing and singing along, while the rest of the near-capacity crowd kept time with nodding heads.

Carrie Brownstein, who shares vocals and guitar duties, took what few breaks there were between songs to thank the audience.

When Brownstein asked the crowd who'd come the farthest for the show, the fan who'd traveled from London demonstrated just how well-liked the band is.

And Sleater-Kinney did everything in their power not to disappoint. Songs from the latest release "One Beat," including the album's title track, were as well-received as older songs such as "Turn It On." They finished the set with a three-song encore, which included "Dig Me Out."

Chan Marshall, who records and performs under the moniker Cat Power, opened the show.

Marshall has a reputation for being a bit skittish as a live performer and it was painfully evident in her 45-minute set of somber tunes.

Recorded, she has a spectacular voice that is both beautiful and haunting. As a solo live performer she fails to present her voice in an enduring way, often stopping songs midway and restarting them without explanation or any acknowledgment to the audience.

A last-minute replacement for the Thermals, who dropped off the bill, was pianist Howard Bulson.

Bulson was the legendary piano man who graced Sorry Charlie's on Lower Queen Anne for 16 years before the venue recently changed ownership.

Jeff Albertson: 206-464-2304 or jalbertson@seattletimes.com

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